The Beauty of Languages
by 181athena
Summary: Seven years ago, Bella Swan met a handsome stranger. She instantly fell in love with his fluency in languages and because of him, chose to study them. What happens when a now 23 year old Bella meets her handsome stranger again? All human, cannon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Full Summary:**

Seven years ago, Bella Swan met a handsome stranger and instantly fell in love with him. She was astounded by his fluency in languages and because of him, chose to study them. What happens when seven years later a now twenty-three year old Bella meets her handsome stranger again? All human, cannon pairings, plays in Toronto.

* * *

><p>She stared at the letter. Was it a bad sign that it was so thin? Shouldn't it be thick if it was an acceptance letter? Or maybe that was just for University acceptance letters… An acceptance for an internship was probably different…<p>

She needed to open it.

Right now.

She took a deep breath and grabbed the letter opener on the table. The feel of the soft wood calmed her and she sliced the letter open. Taking another deep breath, she began to read.

* * *

><p>Dear Isabella Swan,<p>

We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen for an interview with us for a position as unpaid intern at _Whitlock Translation_. If you are chosen for this position, you will work at our company for six months along with five other interns. At the end of your time here, a position as Junior Translator will become available and an intern will be selected to become a full-time employee.

Your interview is scheduled for May 1. Please see our secretary at the front desk for some basic information when you arrive.

Unless we receive information otherwise via email (.ca) or telephone (905 WHI TLOC) that you cannot make it on this date, we will be expecting you at 9:00.

I look forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely, the president and founder of Whitlock Translation,

Jasper Whitlock

* * *

><p>Bella grinned so wide that she didn't even want to know how insane she looked. This is what she had been working towards since tenth grade, when she fell in love with languages. Or more accurately, she fell in love with the mysterious and beautiful young man who she met in the Toronto Music Garden.<p>

_Bella sighed. Her dad had been talking to the man working at the bait-shop at the dock for half an hour. What was so interesting about bait anyways? Charlie's interests baffled her. In Toronto, the home of multiple famous theatres, he chose to spend his time talking about fish. They had been planning on having a nice dinner at a cute little restaurant near the dock to celebrate her sixteenth birthday. She had loved the place ever since she had first been there two years ago with her best friend Rosalie and her family._

_Her sixteenth birthday and all she had wanted was a nice dinner with her father. Now it looked like she wasn't even going to get that. She gestured to her father that she was going to take a walk. Charlie, as oblivious as ever, just smiled at her and continued talking about the difference between live bait and dead bait._

_She slowly wandered toward a small park which sat alongside the water. At least she could enjoy her time here; it was surprising how beautiful the scenery was, even so close to the heart of the largest city in Canada._

_Bella sat down on a bench facing the pathway and the lake, breathed in the partially polluted air, and sighed. She felt so at home here. The hustle and bustle of a big city was so much more calming than the quiet of the area at the outskirts of town that they lived in. Bella knew in her heart that one day she would move here. _

_She smiled as she saw a young man, probably about 20 years old; help an elderly lady sit down on the bench across from hers. He spoke to the woman in fluent German, and as she responded Bella could feel the bond between them, despite the fact that she had no idea what they were saying. His voice was like velvet, the way the language rolled off his tongue. The lady playfully scolded the man and he replied in a similar tone, slightly rolling his eyes before switching his language to French. _

_As the two took a map out, Bella realized that they must be tourists, and when she heard the words "CN tower" muttered multiple times, she decided to help them out. _

"_I don't mean to eavesdrop, but if you're looking for the CN Tower, you're a little too far south. It's about a twenty minute walk in that direction, just past the Gardiner Expressway," she said as she gestured towards the tower._

_As soon as the words passed her lips, she realized that she hadn't actually heard either of them speak English. Maybe neither the beautiful man nor the elderly lady had any idea what she had just said. Bella felt her cheeks heat up as she blushed a characteristic red._

_But her worries were unnecessary. The man answered with his calm and velvet-like voice. "Thank you. You know, you would think that it would be easier to find such a tall tower in the middle of a city. But astoundingly, it's easy to miss!"_

"_I had the same trouble when I first started spending time in the area; there are just too many tall buildings to obstruct the view." Bella's cheeks refused to return to a normal colour as he spoke to her. His bronze-brown hair hung all over the place on top of his head, looking like he had only just gotten out of bed. His emerald-green eyes were so inviting and she felt herself getting lost in their depth. She had always been awkward with boys, preferring to talk to adults instead of teenagers because so many of her peers lacked real substance. So when such a good-looking guy was talking directly to her, she felt terribly flushed._

_He thanked her and he and what she assumed to be his grandmother walked off towards the CN tower. _

_It had only been a few moments, but in that short time, Bella had decided what she wanted to do with her life. Even though she knew she would never come close to being able to speak like her mystery man, she wanted nothing more than to learn to speak as many languages as beautifully as possible, just like him._

* * *

><p>What did you think? I know that ending was a little cheesy, but I couldn't resist.<p>

I would love some feedback on the first chapter, and suggestions and corrections are always appreciated!

I will generally update once every week but reviews are very likely to make an update come faster. :)

The location in the story is a little altered from the original, but I decided to base the story in Toronto because hardly anybody seems to use Canadian cities in their stories, whether on fanfiction or elsewhere.

I've also been looking for a beta, but haven't really found it easy to find someone in the massive database. Does anyone either know a good beta, or want to recommend themselves as a beta? Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

With a deep breath, Bella parked her car in a spot near the entrance to the main office of Whitlock Translation. She was one hundred percent prepared and could not wait to get inside to show her possible future boss how perfect she was for the job… theoretically anyways. This position meant so much to her, because it would be her path into the world of translation. Whitlock Translation was the biggest company in Canada dealing with translating almost any kind of written document. Bella took a final deep breath and began repeating her mantra to herself. "_I can do this. This is what I am really passionate about and Mr. Whitlock will be able to see that. I can do this._"

She felt herself slipping into another wild daydream as she imagined what her life could be like.

* * *

><p><em>Bella smiled as she parked her car. She loved the way her hybrid had such a calm motor and just quietly slid into place. To be honest, she had no idea what model it was… but it was a nice, sleek black so she was happy.<em>

_Ready for her day, she walked into the office, and was as always welcomed by the smiling secretary. She walked towards the elevator and pushed the button for the third floor. Walking by a group of people crowded around a desk, she heard a few people say hi and wave to her. Waving and grinning back she waltzed toward her beautiful office, filled with plants and huge windows. She managed to walk with huge heals and felt absolutely beautiful in her work attire._

_Settling down for a day's work, she spent the day at her computer, continuing to translate the new book she had been given for translation, it was absolutely incredible. She beamed as she noticed an email had come in. She had been waiting for this! Bella had been offered an opportunity to interpret for some famous speakers at the first annual _Theatre Association Meeting_ in Paris! Normally, she didn't do interpretation, but this was an opportunity she just couldn't pass up._

"_So I guess we'll be spending two weeks in France together then…" she could just imagine him suggestively wiggling his eyebrows at her as he wrapped his arms around her. _

"_Oh really? And what were you expecting our time to be like?" Bella looked back into the most hypnotising emerald-green eyes with the most beautiful bronze locks hanging in front of them._

"_Oh, nous devrons simplement attendre et voir…" he smirked as he spoke in smooth French and planted a kiss on her lips and -_

* * *

><p>Her fantasy burst suddenly as she got to the point where she usually did. Though the situation was always different, the end was always the same. She could never imagine exactly what it would feel like to kiss her mystery man. Not that it really mattered – she wouldn't ever get the chance to meet him again, let alone actually kiss him.<p>

"This is Whitlock Translation, my name is Alice, how may I help you?" said a polite yet very preppy voice from behind the desk in the front office.

Bella quickly shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. The woman who had identified herself as Alice had short spiky hair and a pair of incredibly warm brown eyes. She smiled warmly at Bella from behind the counter. As Bella saw the sincere kindness in her face, she couldn't help but smile back.

"Hi, I'm Isabella Swan. I have an interview scheduled with Mr. Whitlock in twenty minutes."

"Oh! Isabella! It's very nice to meet you, Ja-, I mean Mr. Whitlock was very impressed by your application. You're incredibly early, too. He will be that much more impressed by your dedication to punctuality," Alice blabbered as she waddled around the desk carrying a stack of paper. She was incredibly pregnant, at least seven or eight months along!

Bella blushed but smiled at the kindness that the secretary showed towards her. Alice continued to chatter as she led Bella up three sets of stairs and through a series of hallways.

As they reached a glass door, Bella started to feel the nerves catching up with her. Alice smiled at Bella once more, wishing her luck and gesturing to a chair set up outside of the office. Bella sat down and pulled out her phone. It was only 8:49. Why the hell had she decided to come twenty minutes early? Now she had at least ten minutes to sit around twiddling her thumbs, with nothing to do but worry about the upcoming interview. What if she didn't get the internship? She would have no choice but to go to another company, one which didn't offer half as many opportunities as Whitlock Translation. Either that or she would have to move. She didn't want to move, she loved Toronto!

She closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. She wouldn't get this job anyways. She would never be as amazing as she hoped, and she was okay with that. All her life she had just been mediocre. A relatively good student, but never top of the class. Relatively liked among her peers, but never incredibly popular. That was fine. She could just go on living her mediocre life; she did not need this job. She could just walk out right now and everything would be fine.

Bella looked up again, momentarily actually debating leaving, when she saw it. Turning the corner, she saw a head of hair. Of brown hair with beautiful bronze streaks, hanging all over the place, like the owner had only just gotten out of bed. She could never forget that hair. That hair and a set of beautiful green eyes had been at the forefront of so many of her dreams for over seven years. Bella had no idea whether she had actually seen her mystery man or not, but either way, it reminded her of why she was here.

She might not need this job, but she wanted it. She was passionate about languages and she wanted to share this passion with others. She glanced at her phone again. 8:59. She turned her phone off to avoid it ringing during the interview and took a few more deep breaths. Repeating her mantra once again, she felt herself relax. She could do this.

* * *

><p>Suggestions? Comments? Guesses for the future of this story?<p>

Please review!

I know that this chapter is pretty short again… but I updated early, so hopefully that makes up for it. :)

In case you were wondering what the French in there was, the translation is: "Oh, we'll just have to wait and see…" If you are a better French-speaker than I am and you think there's something wrong with that grammar please let me know :)


	3. Chapter 3

She stared at the letter. It looked exactly like the one she had received two weeks ago when she was invited for an interview. This time she was intent on not freaking out. She would just open the letter and see in which direction fate would lead her. Once again grabbing her letter opener, Bella sliced open the top of the letter and looked inside.

* * *

><p>Dear Isabella Swan,<p>

We are very excited to inform you that you have been chosen for a position as unpaid intern at _Whitlock Translation_. If you chose to join us, you will work at our company for six months along with five other interns. At the end of your time here, a position as Junior Translator will become available and an intern will be selected to become a full-time employee.

Your first day begins at 9:30 on May 1. Please once again see our secretary at the front desk for a welcome package when you arrive.

Please confirm your attendance via email or telephone.

My company and I hope that you will join us and we look forward to working with you.

Sincerely, the president and founder of Whitlock Translation,

Jasper Whitlock

* * *

><p>Bella screamed with excitement as she dropped the letter on the counter. Though normally not an incredibly outgoing person, Bella couldn't help but be incredibly proud of her achievement. She had done it!<p>

* * *

><p>Bella took another quick breath while she parked her car in the Whitlock Translation parking lot. She was surprised she hadn't run out of oxygen in there with all the deep breathing she was doing! Opening her door, Bella suddenly felt her heart jump out of her chest as a flashy red convertible pulled into the spot next to her car. Bella yanked her door back towards her to avoid a car accident… in the parking lot… after they had parked. Yea, that would definitely be fun to explain to the police.<p>

The contrast between the sleek, bright red convertible and Bella's old rusty pick-up was unbelievable, and Bella couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. Intent on being polite to the driver despite her frustration, Bella stepped out of her car, looking into the open top of the other car. The blonde girl in the seat was making kissy-faces at her mirror while applying lipstick. Wow, didn't she look professional with her face caked in makeup. Despite her dislike for the girl's apparent superficiality, Bella tried to hint carefully at the subject. "Wow, you've got a really fast car. You really slid into that parking spot quickly… Do you always drive that fast?"

The blonde just looked Bella up and down, making a face as she saw the flats on her feet, and gave a non-descript answer. "Well of course."

Bella gave up and simply decided to forget about the blonde. With luck, she wouldn't have to deal with her anymore.

"ISABELLA! Or wait, do you prefer Is, or Izzy? Or Bella?" Alice's exuberant reception had Bella smiling the moment she walked in.

"I prefer Bella usually. But I'll respond to anything else too," Bella joked.

"I might just have to give you a nickname then, especially if you'll be here for the next six months! I'm so glad you got the spot, not that I'm surprised though, especially compared to everyone who came in for interviews after you, you are…there isn't even a word to describe it, but either way I like you best, and so does J- Mr. Whitlock-"

"Umm Alice… sorry to interrupt, and I'm really glad you like me, because I think you seem really cool too, but I'm kind of supposed to be ready for work in ten minutes…" Bella tried to interrupt Alice as she pretty much hadn't breathed since before she started talking.

"Oh right of course. Here's you're welcome package and a map of the building. Mr. Whitlock will be waiting for you upstairs. There are four other interns who you'll be working with…"

Bella walked slowly up the stairs to the third floor, where she would take part in a meeting with Mr. Whitlock and the man who would be training the interns, someone who Alice had referred to as Mr. Cullen.

Bella sat down outside of Mr. Whitlock's office, next to a kind-looking man with boyish features. He had a sweet smile and beautifully tanned skin. "So are you an intern here too? My name's Jacob." He stuck out his hand for Bella to shake. They had a short yet pleasant conversation while they waited for the other interns to join them. Bella found out that Jacob had never really wanted to be a translator, but he was still looking forward to the experience of being an intern. He was single, but looking for a relationship. Though their conversation had not been particularly deep or riveting, she found herself enjoying his company.

Soon, all five interns were sitting in a row, and Mr. Whitlock walked in. He smiled at the interns and began to speak. His presence commanded the room; everyone could almost feel him controlling their emotions.

"Alright, welcome to your first day here today. You, as unpaid interns, are here to learn about translation and interpretation. After you have proven yourself in the company, you will be given a wider range of opportunities for work experience." Up until that point, Bella was still listening very carefully, delighted by her day. Until she saw it - until she saw **him**.

He was here. He was right there, just meters away from her. How could he be? She had written the hair that she saw the other day at the office off as a coincidence. She thought that her mind had been playing tricks on her to boost her self-confidence. But no. Because he was **here**.

Her mind struggled to form coherent thoughts as he walked through the door, smiling at Mr. Whitlock. She now not only actually had a name to refer to him as, but could finally refresh her memory, finally see his face again after all these years. Mr Cullen stood to the side of the room, watching Mr. Whitlock finish speaking. He glanced around the room, surveying the interns, when his gaze landed on Bella. His look lingered for slightly longer than on everybody else, and Bella felt herself begin to blush. She glanced away only for a moment, before finding that the pull to look at him was just too strong. Glancing back she noticed that he was still looking at her. Emerald-green met brown and neither seemed to be able to break the gaze. Mr. Cullen's face turned calculating at the moment, as if trying to remember something. He was still staring at her, deep in thought, when she heard his name being called.

"Mr. Cullen? Would you like to explain the process of internship at this company?" Mr. Whitlock asked, before proceeding towards the stairs.

Mr. Cullen turned away and walked, or more accurately glided, to the front of the room. "As you all know, my name is Mr. Cullen. I've been a translator for about seven years, and have been working at the firm for six. This program is very special to me, because six years ago, I started here as an intern myself. I hope that you will be as inspired in your time here as I was. You will mostly be reporting to me during the next six months, but you will get the opportunity to work with some other employees as well."

Bella noticed how his eyes twinkled when he spoke about his work. He really was happy doing this, just like she was, or would be, if all went well.

"We are going to start with some basic activities so that you can get to know one-another, and so that I can get a basic understanding as well. So even if this seems like a children's activity, I assure you it is important."

He picked a clipboard off the desk and read out the list of names on it.

_Jacob Black_

_Lauren Mallory_

_Michael Newton_

_Jessica Stanley_

_Isabella Swan_

"I'd like everyone to begin by introducing themselves. Tell us your name and any nickname you are frequently known by, where you are coming from, and why you applied for this internship. Let's just go in Alphabetical order. Starting with Jacob Black."

"Right, so my name's Jacob Black, you can call me Jake or Jacob. I've been studying languages in the US, in Seattle, for four years. I'm fluent in Spanish, French and obviously English. I applied for this internship because it's what my mom always wanted me to do before she passed."

That was the man who she had talked to before, he appeared nice enough. But for some reason he seemed to be staring straight at her throughout his entire speech, so after some time Bella began to feel quite uncomfortable. It also didn't help that he moved his chair to only millimeters away from hers when he came back to sit down.

"Um like I'm Lauren Mallory and I've been studying French in Toronto for a few years. I applied because my dad works at this firm and he introduced me to the people he works with, and I just thought, you know, this would be a fun job."

It was the shallow girl from the parking lot. Great. Bella consoled herself with the fact though that there were three other interns, besides Lauren, so the two would probably not have to work together directly too frequently.

"Hi, I'm Mike Newton, and I'm fluent in Italian, Portuguese and English. I've known those languages since I was really young, because my housekeeper spent a lot of time with me and taught me quite a bit about them. I wanted to get some work experience in a big company, so I decided to use my advantage with languages to apply for this internship."

Mike looked nice as well, but Bella couldn't really tell because he had been very quiet earlier, keeping to himself quite a bit. Not that she could judge, she was similar in many ways. He looked a little young for a full-time job though. She would have guessed him to be fresh out of high school, especially because he hadn't mentioned studying anywhere.

"My name's Jessica Stanley, or Jess, and I grew up in Austria, so I'm fluent in Austro-Bavarian, German, and English. I've been studying at the U of T for a few years. I enjoy languages, and my main reason for applying was so that I could get a feel for this job."

Jessica seemed like a nice person too, and Bella was excited to ask her some questions about Austria and German because that was one of her favourite languages to study. Now it was her turn to introduce herself though, and Bella could instantly feel butterflies forming. This was the first time that Mr. Cullen would hear her voice in seven years, and since he probably didn't even remember her, it was as crucial that she make a good impression.

"Hi, my name is Isabella Swan, but most people call me Bella. I've been studying languages since I fell in love with them seven years ago. I've spent most of the last five years in Toronto at Glendon College and the U of T but I've also studied a little in Spain."

Bella could already feel her butterflies starting to fade as soon as she started talking about her passion.

"I'm currently fluent in French, Spanish, German and English, but I'm also in the process of learning Japanese, so hopefully that will be part of my repertoire soon as well. I applied at Whitlock Translation for an internship because I would love nothing more than to get involved in Translation in the future, and this would be an incredibly valuable opportunity for that."

Bella could feel herself begin to blush as she realized that she had talked for about twice as long as her fellow interns. She could feel Mr. Cullen's eyes on her. He sat rooted to his spot, looking quite impressed, but she only got a quick glance at his expression before she hurried back to her seat.

Mr. Cullen snapped out of his momentary shock quickly and began to speak again. "Alright, good job everybody. It's great to get to know you and I'm looking forward to working with you. Now you have a short break for lunch. Please be back here in 45 minutes, we will be having a tour of the office.

"Mr Cullen? I was just wondering, do you know where you can get some good coffee around here? I totally can't do without my daily Frappuchino," Lauren giggled as she walked towards Mr. Cullen. She was outwardly flirting with him, running her fingers up and down his arm.

Bella rolled her eyes. Not that she was expecting her mystery man to actually like **her**, but that didn't mean she wanted to watch him hook up with Lauren of all people. Bella picked up her bag, glancing back at the two. She began to walk out of the door, but out of the corner of her eye, saw him pry her arm of his shoulder and answer, "Sorry Miss Mallory, but I don't know where you can find a _Starbucks_."

Walking down the hallway, Bella couldn't help but smirk. As much as she hated having such mean thoughts about Lauren, seeing her turned down gave her a strange kind of satisfaction. She pulled out her headphones and began playing some of her favourite German music.

"Miss Swan! Wait a minute!"

Bella jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned around.

* * *

><p>Comments? Suggestions? Corrections? Criticism? Compliments? Guesses for the future of the story? Review!<p>

I know that was kind of a filler chapter, but at least it was a little longer this time and you got to get to know the characters a little better. I assure you, the next chapters will get more interesting. :)

Thanks to _**booklover311**_, _**IThinkINeededThat**_, and _**Rubi101**_ for reviewing one, or in _**IThinkINeededThat**_'s case, both of my last two chapters!


	4. Chapter 4

"Miss Swan! Wait a minute!"

Bella jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned around.

Bella blushed when she saw his appearance. He must have had to run to catch up to her because she couldn't hear him over the music she had been listening to. His hair was even more tousled than usual, almost with a windswept look.

"Mr Cullen?" Bella was surprised by him wanting to talk to her. After all, what could someone like him possibly need from her?

"Sorry Miss Swan, I just, I don't know, I mean, you look incredibly familiar to me, and I can't seem to figure out from where I know you. It's really frustrating me." Mr Cullen had the same calculating expression as before. He actually did seem to remember her! …well sort of anyways…

But Bella couldn't tell him who she was. She didn't have the courage to tell him that she still remembered him too, because she fell in love with him seven years ago, despite him being a complete and utter stranger. He would think she was completely insane.

So she decided to take a safer route. "Well, maybe you're confusing me with someone else. I don't see where we could have met before."

"There's no way. I never forget a face. But maybe I've just seen you at the grocery store or something..."

Bella quickly jumped at the opportunity for a plausible explanation. "That's probably it." An awkward silence ensued so in an attempt to break the silence and get away from the awkward moment, Bella tried to make a quick escape. "Well it was nice talking to you Mr Cullen. I'll just be going to lunch now."

Bella quickly turned around and replaced her ear buds in her ears, but before she could even take a step, she felt his hand on her shoulder again.

"What are you listening to that has you so enthralled?" Mr Cullen's tone was very inquisitional.

"Oh I'm sorry! Should I not have ear buds in at work? I haven't gotten to read the rules portion of the info booklet yet." Bella could feel herself blushing again. That seemed to be a pattern for her around Mr Cullen. She just didn't want to be known as the rule breaker.

But she needn't have worried. Bella's inner monologue was interrupted by his melodic laugh. "No Miss Swan, don't worry about it, we don't have too many strict rules at this company. And even if we did, you don't exactly seem like a rule breaker to me, so I would definitely have let it slide." He grinned at her. "I was just curious." His smile was absolutely breathtaking; it was slightly crooked and made him look incredibly optimistic and just happy.

"They're called the Wise Guys. And before you ask, no, not like the mafia. They are the most incredible German a-cappella band," He smiled at her again and she just had to smile back. She couldn't help it when he looked at her like that. "I was looking for an interesting way to practice my German in high school, so a tutor of mine introduced me to this band. I've been addicted ever since," she laughed as she admitted the slight obsession she had developed.

"Really? Well maybe I should check them out if you speak so highly of them. They're called the Wise Guys?" He double checked, seeming genuinely interested.

"Yea, do you want to have a quick listen now?" Bella asked offering him a headphone, but suddenly she found herself remembering the position they were in. She was an intern and he was her boss. He was probably just trying to be polite. "Oh wait sorry, you've probably got to go eat you lunch. I didn't mean to keep you."

"Aren't I the one who kept you to begin with?" he chuckled at her, "I was just planning in getting a coffee anyways, so no worries."

They began to proceed towards the staircase.

"Wait didn't you tell Lauren that there wasn't anywhere to get a coffee here?" Bella blushed again as she realized that her saying this was practically admitting to eavesdropping.

Mr Cullen hardly reacted at all though, his lips just twitched with the hint of a smirk. "I told her she couldn't get a _frappuchino_ here. That's **not** the same thing."

The distain with which he said the word _'frappucino'_ was incredibly obvious and Bella couldn't help but laugh. "And what's wrong with a frappuchino?" she questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

"It's not coffee! That thing has got like a teaspoon of actual coffee in it. The rest is just sugar and cream! When you drink one of those, you don't get a good feel for real coffee."

Bella laughed again at his passionate little speech about "real coffee".

But Mr Cullen appeared to ignore her amusement. "There's this really great cute little cafe down the street. The owner is incredibly kind, and makes the best coffee. Are you a coffee drinker?"

"Oh god yes, I'm far too addicted. Coffee got me through countless homework all-nighters in high school."

"Yes I know the feeling. I am the most incredibly avid coffee drinker." Mr Cullen grinned at her again and Bella could hardly breathe. Seven years of fantasies about this man and now she was actually having a conversation with him.

"Hey, do you want to join me for a coffee there before we get back to work then? They also have more substantial food if you want a lunch. You could tell me more about these Wise Guys... Oh unless you have somewhere else to be?" Mr Cullen's invitation took her completely off guard. He wanted to have lunch with her? He was actually asking to spend the next half hour with her out of some other reason besides politeness?

He seemed to take her momentary pause as a negative response, and backtracked quickly. "Sorry Miss Swan, don't feel that you're obliged to say yes just because I'm your boss. It was just a friendly invitation."

Bella grinned as she saw him show a moment of nervousness. "Oh no don't worry about it, I would actually love to grab a coffee, thanks!"

He smiled his crooked smile back at her again and as they reached the bottom of the stairs and then the front door of the building, Mr Cullen held the door open for her. Apparently, he was not only kind, calm, and really good-looking, he also had gentlemanly tendencies.

He pointed the way toward a cute little building a few hundred meters from Whitlock Translation, and the two fell into a light conversation as they walked in that direction.

"Thank you for inviting me for coffee sir," Bella said as she walked through the door. She was still convinced that he had only invited her to be kind and she wanted to be appreciative and respectful.

"None of that," Mr Cullen waved a hand at her as he led them to a table, "I already hate having to be referred to as Mr Cullen. 'Sir' is absolutely unnecessary. As long as we're outside of the office, you can call me Edward."

Edward. That name just rolled off the tongue so beautifully. Especially off his tongue. His velvety voice made his name sounds so incredible. Bella responded to his smile with one of her own for the umpteenth time. "Well then, please feel free to call me Bella."

"Well Bella, what would you like to have then?" Edward asked as he passed her the menu which had been lying on the table. And she thought his name sounded beautiful when he said it. His sultry voice could make her name sound so mysterious, so much less plain. She quickly grabbed the menu from his hands and scanned over the choices. The butterflies which had been flying around in her stomach since started talking to Edward were keeping her from having enough appetite for an actual meal, so she just settled on getting something to drink. "I don't know, I think I'll just have a coffee. Is there something specific you would suggest?"

"You're asking me to pick a coffee for you?" Edward's grin was incredible. He really looked like a crazy caffeine addict for a second.

Bella couldn't help but laugh at him. "Should I be worried?"

"Oh don't worry, he's been totally addicted to coffee for over ten years. So far the coffee hasn't caused him to go crazy. Well, not **too** crazy anyways."

Edward playfully rolled his eyes and responded to the woman standing behind Bella. He looked exactly like he had seven years ago when he did that. "Bella, this is Esme. My mom for all intensive purposes."

"It's nice to meet you Bella! You look like a very nice girl. And much prettier than any other dates Edw-"

Bella felt a blush build up in her cheeks. She felt more like a tomato than she had all morning. And considering how much she had blushed, that was a record.

"Esme!" Edward interrupted her, "This is Bella Swan, one of the interns I'm going to be training."

Esme looked back at Bella again. "Oh sorry honey, I didn't mean to make you blush. Sorry for my quick assumptions. It's just that Edward doesn't usually bring anybody to my café, especially not a woman so-" She was silenced by Edward's glare. Clearly he was embarrassed as well. If Bella hadn't been so focused on her own embarrassment, she would have begun to laugh again.

"Sorry!" Esme's sheepish expression was so sweet as she made a gesture like she was zipping her mouth closed. "What can I get for you two?"

Edward looked at Bella with a questioning look, asking if she wanted him to pick something for her with his eyes. Bella smiled at him, giving him the go-ahead.

"Okay, we'll have two Café Bombóns please!" He grinned at Esme, showing her his dimples, and Bella could see the connection the two shared.

As Esme walked away, shaking her head yet smiling at Edward's boyish behaviour, Bella looked back at his beautiful face. "So what's a Café Bombón?"

"It's half espresso, half sweetened condense milk, originally from Spain. But anyways, tell me more about the Wise Guys. What kind of music do they sing?"

Bella grinned. She was so excited to share her love of German music with someone else. "Their stuff is mostly pop. But the most interesting part is first of all that they're a-cappella singers and also the funny lyrics they use. Do you want to hear?"

Edward nodded and smiled.

Bella reciprocated with a smile, and took out her iPod, offering him an ear bud. "Okay…we'll just start with this one. It's one of my favourites. Basically this song makes fun of the fact that English is kind of taking over in other languages because of how often people use it."

_**(A/N – See the bottom author's note for the translation!)**_

Oh Herr, bitte gib mir meine Sprache zurück,

ich sehne mich nach Frieden und nem kleinen Stückchen Glück.

Lass uns noch ein Wort verstehn in dieser schweren Zeit,

öffne unsre Herzen mach die Hirne weit.

Ich bin zum Bahnhof gerannt und war _a little bit too late_:

Auf meiner neuen _Swatch_ wars schon kurz vor _after eight_.

Ich suchte die Toilette, doch ich fand nun ein „_McClean_",

ich brauchte ne' _Connection_ und ein _Ticket_ nach Berlin.

Draußen saßen _Kids_ und hatten _Fun_ mit einem _Joint_.

Ich suchte eien Auskunft, doch es gab nur'n _Service Point_.

Mein Zug war leider abgefahr'n – das _Traveln_ konnt ich knicken.

Da wollt ich Hähnchen essen, doch man gab mir nur _McChicken_.

Oh Herr, bitte gib mir meine Sprache zurück,

ich sehne mich nach Frieden und nem kleinen Stückchen Glück.

Lass uns noch ein Wort verstehn in dieser schweren Zeit,

öffne unsre Herzen mach die Hirne weit.

Du versuchst mich upzudaten, doch mein _Feedback_ _turnt_ dich ab.

Du sagst, dass ich ein _Wellness-Weekend_ dringend nötig hab.

Du sagst, ich käm mit _Good Vibrations_ wieder in den _Flow_.

Du sagst, ich brauche _Energy_. Und ich denk: „Das sagst du so."

Statt Nachrichten bekomme ich den _Infotainment-Flash_.

Ich sehne mich nach Bargeld, doch man gibt mir nicht mal _Cash_

Ich fühl mich beim Communicating unsicher wie nie –

da nützt mir auch kein Bodyguard. Ich brauch Security!

Oh Lord, bitte gib mir meine Language zurück,

ich sehne mich nach Peace und nem kleinen Stückchen Glück.

Lass uns noch ein Wort verstehn in dieser schweren Zeit,

öffne unsre Herzen, mach die Hirne weit.

Ich will, dass beim „Kaffeehaus" oben draufsteht,

oder dass beim Auto-Crash die „Lufttasche" aufgeht,

und schön wär's, wenn wir Bodybuilder „Muskel-Mäster" nennen

und wenn nur noch „Nordisch Geher" durch die Landschaft rennen.

Oh Lord, please help, denn meine Language macht mir Stress,

ich sehne mich nach Peace und a bit of Happiness.

Hilf uns, dass wir understand in dieser schweren Zeit,

open unsre Hearts und make die Hirne weit.

Oh Lord, please gib mir meine Language back,

ich krieg hier bald die crisis, man, it has doch keinen Zweck.

Let us noch a word verstehn, it goes me on the Geist,

und gib, dass „Microsoft" bald wieder „Kleinweich" heißt.

* * *

><p>In case you're wondering, yes, I am a fan of the Wise Guys. For those of you who don't know them, pretty much everything Bella said about them is true. If you ever get a chance, youtube them. Even if you can't speak German, they sing a-cappella, so it sounds really cool. :)<p>

**Translation**: _**The words in italics and quotation marks are in English already in the original**_

Oh, Lord, please give me my language back,

I long for peace and a bit of happiness.

Let us understand a word in this difficult time,

open our hearts, expand our brains.

I ran to the train station and was "_a little bit too late_"

on my new Swatch it was already just before "_after eight_."

I looked for a toilet, but only found a "_McClean_,"

I still needed "_connection_" and a "_ticket_" to Berlin.

"_Kids_" were sitting outside, having "_fun_" with a "_joint_."

I looked for information, but there was only a "_Service Point_."

My train had left - I had to do without "_traveling_".

Then I wanted some chicken, but could only find "McChicken."

Oh, Lord, please give me my language back,

I long for peace and a bit of happiness.

Let us understand a word in this difficult time,

open our hearts, expand our brains.

You try to "_update_" me, but my "_feedback turns_" you off.

You say I really need a "_Wellness-Weekend."_

You say with "_good vibrations_" I'd get back in the "_flow_."

You say I need more "_energy_."

And I think: "So you say..."

Instead of news, I get the "_Infotainment-Flash_."

I'm longing for money, but they don't even give me "_cash_."

When "_communicating_," I feel insecure as never before –

a "_bodyguard_" is no use. I need "_security_"!

Oh, "_Lord_," please give me my "l_anguage_" back,

I'm longing for "p_eace_" and a bit of happiness.

Let us understand a word in this difficult time,

open our hearts, expand our brains.

At a "_Coffee-Shop_" I want to see "Kaffeehaus" (literally coffee house) written on the sign.

or that in an "_Auto-Crash_" the "Lufttasche" (literally airbag) opens

and it would be nice, if we called "_Bodybuilder_" "Muskel-Mäster" (literally body builder)

and if only "Nordisch Geher" would run across the landscape (…not sure what that references)

"_Oh, Lord, please help_," because my "l_anguage_" gives me "s_tress_,"

I long for "_peace_" and "_a bit of happiness_."

Help us, so we "_understand_" in this difficult time,

"_open_" our "_hearts_" and "_make_" the brain wide.

"_Oh, Lord, please_" give me my "_language back_,"

I'm going to get a "_crisis, man"_ soon

"_Let us_" still "_a word_" understand, "_it goes me on the_" Ghost, (in German, this expression means "gets on my nerves")

and let "_Microsoft_" soon be known as "Kleinweich" (literally small soft) again.

I don't think I'll do it again, because I don't know how many people actually read them. However, if I put lyrics in another chapter, I was wondering, would you prefer the translation in the actual story after the German version in italics, or down here in the author's note? Let me know in a review if you have a preference. :)

Thank you so much to my reviewers from last chapter. I reply to every review I get, except of course the anonymous ones. So keep in mind if you want a reply and you have an account, it's great if you sign in. Thanks to: _booklover311, UnseenAngel17, Moola030, gabby871, annagreenpotter, and IThinkINeededThat_!

**Comments? Suggestions? Corrections? Criticism? Compliments? Favourite line? Guesses for the future of the story? Review! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry this update took almost a week, but I've been pretty busy with summer school... Why I actually thought that voluntarily taking a course in summer wouldn't be so bad is beyond me. :/ I'll try to keep my updates more frequent.

But anyways, Enjoy!

* * *

><p>"So you met the guy you've been in love with for seven years, he couldn't keep his eyes off you, he asked you out on a date, and then he introduced you to his mother! I'm so happy for you Bella!" Rosalie screamed with glee. Undeserved glee to be exact.<p>

"**Rose!**" Bella exclaimed with frustration, "Did you not listen to anything I've said in the last ten minutes? I clearly said, I met the guy I've been in love with for seven years, he **almost** seemed to recognise me, but instead just spent forever staring, trying to figure it out. Then he asked me to drink a **coffee** with him because he found out that I like coffee and wanted to be **polite**. The café he invited me to happened to be owned by a close friend of his who he said was **like** his mom."

Rosalie shrugged at her. "Same difference. I was just reading between the lines."

Bella stared at her best friend incredulously. She did not just say that.

"I, unlike you, have actually been listening to everything you said," Rosalie continued.

Shaking her head, Bella uncrossed her legs and got up from the couch. "Do you want something to drink?" she called over her shoulder as she walked into her kitchen.

"Just a coke please hon", Rosalie replied.

Bella grabbed two cans of coke from the fridge, and moved back into the living room. "Okay enough about my depressing love problems, let's-"

Now it was Rose's turn to stare incredulously. "If you call the day you had today filled with 'depressing love problems', you need to open your eyes. Your day was flipping incredible!"

"Flipping?" Bella raised her eyebrow.

"Yea! It's my censured language for the kids. It's not like I can swear in front of the little ones!" Rosalie grinned, clearly proud of managing to talk without swearwords.

Rosalie was a kindergarten teacher, as of one year ago, and she was loving it. She clearly couldn't wait to have kids of her own. She just needed a guy to have them with.

"Leah was so cute today! She wouldn't stop talking about her mom's birthday present. She's been making a painting for a week. I can't wait 'till my little girl paints pretty paintings for me!" Rosalie smiled and looked off into the distance. She looked just like those TV characters do before they experience a flashback.

"Rosalie!" Bella waved her hand in front her friend's face.

"Oops sorry. Anyways, we should go out. We haven't had a girl's night in ages! Oh, remember, there's a new bar that Angela just opened up near your office! She told us to stop by this week." Rosalie grinned.

It never ceased to amaze Bella that Rose could switch from being the cheesy mothering type to the irresponsible type who loved partying all night in only a few minutes. "Alright, guess we're going to _Eclipse_ then!"

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Rosalie and Bella found themselves walking through the throngs of people inside the bar. Angela had been a good friend of theirs since high school, and they had still kept in touch after leaving to form separate lives. <em>Eclipse<em> almost looked like a mix of a club and a bar. Music was playing, but at a volume where one could easily still have a conversation. The mood was energetic, and the lights were turned down a little. Bella and Rosalie swayed over to the bar to get a drink.

"Hey Girls! What d'ya think?" Angela exclaimed. She had never been an especially outgoing girl in high school, but she had gotten a huge confidence boost in the last few years. "Over there," she pointed towards the other end of the bar, "that's my second bar tender, Emmet, standing next to Ben."

Ben was Angela's boyfriend of about a year, and the two seemed like they were getting serious. Though Angela was officially the sole owner of the bar, she had promised Ben an unofficial management position, on top of his official bar keeper position. If all went well, they would be co-owners in a few years. Despite the fact that Ben was nearly a head shorter than Angela, the two looked absolutely adorable together, and Bella sensed a wedding in their future.

"Emmet! The boys both want another drink! And can you grab me another milk? Oh hey Angie! Has Emmet driven you insane yet? Let me know if you need me to bend him back into shape," a voice laughed from behind Bella's shoulder.

"So far he's been pretty good, but I'll let you know," Angela smiled, "Bella and Rose, meet Alice, she's Emmet's cousin. Alice, these are Bella Swan and Rosalie Hale, two of my girlfriends from high school."

Bella turned around at the mention of that name. Alice grinned at her, "Hey Rosalie! And I've already met Bella actually. She's an intern at work. Hey, do the two of you want to join us? You too Angela, if you're not too busy."

Emmet came towards us, and put three glasses on the bar. "Would you two ladies like something as well?" his grin was incredibly wide and made him look like a young boy, despite the fact that he was built like a tank.

"Um, just a beer for me please." Bella's quick answer was decisively different than Rosalie's. She and Emmet were soon engaged in a lengthy conversation about the best alcoholic drinks.

Angela turned back to Alice and pointed to an argument which appeared to be starting across the bar. "I might be able to join you later, but right now, management calls."

"Sorry, I'll be there later too. I still have to decide what to order…" Rosalie said without looking away from a smiling Emmet.

"Okey-dokey. Do you wanna join us then Bella?" Alice smiled at her and reached for the drinks on the bar.

"Sure. I'm sure it'll be more interesting than staring at these two love birds," she giggled, pointing over her shoulder at Rosalie and Emmet.

Bella grabbed two of the glasses to bring back to the table with Alice.

"So what are you doing at _Eclipse_ Alice?" Bella smiled, trying to make conversation, "Did Emmet or Angela invite you too?"

"Oh actually, we're celebrating my brother's birthday! That is, his best friend and I are celebrating with him."

As the two approached the table, Alice pointed to a man sitting next to Mr. Whitlock at the table. "So you've met Jasper already, and this is my brother."

Bella's s eyes popped open. Really now?

* * *

><p>Hehe…bit of a cliff-hanger again… :$<br>But I think you can probably guess who the brother is...

Thanks to my reviewers last chapter, _**IThinkINeededThat,**_ and _**gaby871**_!

Next Chapter…  
>Get ready for Edward's point of view!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

I'm so sorry it took me almost two weeks to update! _**Please see the bottom for my apology and information on future updates!**_

* * *

><p>"No, to be honest, I'm surprised that Bella only applied for an internship. I mean she could get a proper full-time job. Albeit nothing big, because she doesn't have much experience, but with those language skills, Bella could definitely–"<p>

As he held his short speech about Bella, Edward noticed the Jasper was no longer looking, or even really paying attention to him, so he glanced in the direction of Jasper's focus. Unsurprisingly, Alice was standing at the table. There was really no one else who could make Jasper get so completely distracted. Surprisingly though, she was not alone. And of course, the one person she had to bring with her was the person he had been having a massive word vomit about only seconds before. Edward found himself blushing, something which he rarely did, when he tried to imagine how much Bella had just heard.

If he wasn't imagining it, her lips seemed to curve upwards slightly, which sort of hinted towards her having heard at least something. Seeing as she wasn't outwardly laughing at him though, Edward decided to try to let it go.

"Oh, hi Edward, I didn't know you were Alice's brother!" She looked at Alice. "Wait so that means that it's your birthday! Why didn't you tell me earlier today when we went to get coffee?"

Clearly Bella was not as affected by him as he was by her, because he was completely flustered, while she seemed completely at ease. Jasper chortled at Edward, and elbowed him. "So _little Eddie-boy_ went on a date today, did he?"

Edward glared at Jasper, which turned out to be ineffective in shutting him up, but at least he made an effort to stop laughing right at him. "Oh well… I don't like to make a big deal of it," Edward stuttered, looking back at Bella, feeling somewhat self-conscious.

"This crazy guy just can't stand lots of attention," Jasper guffawed, while Alice ruffled his hair.

Bella laughed along. She had such a beautiful smile. "Hi Mr. Whitlo–"

"Please, call me Jasper. Hi Bella, it's nice to see you again."

Bella grinned in response. "So how long have you known Edward, Jasper? Do you think you and Alice could tell me some stories from when _little Eddie-boy_ was actually little?"

She sat down in the seat next to Edward, while Jasper helped Alice sit down next to him. As much as he hated being called Eddie, coming from Bella's mouth, it really wasn't that bad.

"What, so she can call you Eddie and I can't?" Jasper laughed again before continuing to tell all of the most embarrassing stories of Edward's past…

"Well he was certainly a cute kid. He loved to embarrass everybody."

"Unintentionally…" Edward mumbled, before hiding his face in his hands.

After a few minutes, which felt like hours to Edward, and many laughs at his expense, Edward felt a hand on his shoulder. Even this small comforting gesture from Bella was enough for Edward to lift his head and continue listening to Alice.

… _So neither of my parents have black hair, they've both got lighter hair. The running joke in our family has always been that I got my hair from the gardener, since he used to have the same black hair as I do. I did in fact get my hair from my grandma, but everyone was always blaming the gardener._

_When I was about a year old, and Edward was about four, our mom took us grocery shopping. When a kind elderly lady walked up to us and asked about where I get my "cute looks". Edward felt the need to proudly point out that I got my hair from the gardener, because "daddy has blonde hair but the man who waters our flowers and sometimes comes inside when daddy is at work to talk to mammy has black hair"._

Edward found himself blushing again. "You were so young that you don't even remember that! I don't know why you always have to tell that story!"

Alice stuck her tongue out at him. Somehow the two of them had never slipped out of the roles of young siblings. Bella giggled her adorable laugh again.

The night wore on with many more laughs, and many more stories at Edward's expense.

Soon Alice had begun to look quite tired and Jasper had taken her home, while Rosalie had decided to stay at _Eclipse_ until Emmet was finished working. So Edward and Bella were left walking alone out of _Eclipse_. "So how old are you today Eddie-boy?"

Bella seemed to have found that nickname particularly funny. She hadn't stopped using it all night. "**Never** call me Eddie-boy again, and I'll think about answering your question." Edward thought he looked menacing but clearly he wasn't incredibly effective, as illustrated by Bella's giggles.

"Fine. Laugh. But then you won't ever hear another word from me again," Edward pouted, crossed his arms, and began to walk towards the parking lot.

Soon he realized though that he was walking alone, and that Bella had not caught up with him anymore after he had decided to pout and walk ahead like a five year old. He cautiously turned his head to the left where Bella had previously been standing. When Edward didn't see her, he whipped his head all the way around.

What if she was kidnapped? What if she was knocked out? What if someone stole her purse? What if she was mobbed? What if someone hit her on the head and pulled her into an alley and stole her wallet and then knocked her out when she tried to fight back and then took her with them because she saw the bad guy's face and then– Oh my god! She was on the ground, crumbled into a ball.

Someone must have hit her on the head to steal her purse and her jewellery and all her valuables. What other valuables could she have been carrying? Maybe she was wearing an irreplaceable locket from a departed family member! Maybe that necklace was gone now, and maybe she would hate him forever now because someone stole her irreplaceable locket! And now she would never talk to him again and he could never go to Esme's coffee shop ever again because Bella liked it there and she would want to come back, but then she would see him walk into the shop and then she'd leave because she hated him so much. Then he'd never be able to have coffee ever again and–

As Edward began to run towards Bella crumpled on the floor, the freak-out in his mind became more and more frantic and outrageous.

As Edward approached Bella and bent down next to her, he could hear her making noises. "Bella? Are you crying? Are you okay? Oh my god did you get hurt?"

Bella lifted her head. Tears were streaming down her face, but her somewhat silent sounds which had sounded like crying were actually… laughs. Which started to get louder and louder.

"I'm … sorry Ed … ward but … you were stomping … away and looked … like a two year old … and then …" Bella couldn't get more than half a sentence out through her bursts of laughter.

Edward sighed, deciding to simply wait for her to calm down. When she was done he silently helped her up and they continued to walk quietly ahead.

"Look I'm really sorry Edward. I just tripped and then I saw you walking away looking like such a cute little kid. I really didn't mean to scare you." Bella tried to convince Edward of the fact while she walked next to him, attempting to catch his eye.

"Scare me? Bella that was absolutely petrifying! It wasn't enough for you to fall behind in the darkness, but you were lying in the floor, and you looked like you were bawling," Edward grimaced, trying to convey the sincerity of his feelings to Bella.

Bella frowned in return. "I really am sorry, I'm just really clumsy, and when I saw you pout I just lost concentration and I tripped. The sight of you stomping off in a fit of anger was just too much and I couldn't stop my laughter. I really am sorry."

Edward could already feel his resolve melting with Bella's beautiful smile. Her eyes just lit up with happiness when she grinned. Her beautiful brown eyes were deep as a pool of chocolate. He found himself moving closer to her. The two approached one another and found themselves meeting in the middle. The kiss was soft and loving as Edward caressed her mouth with his.

"Alright… I forgive you. Just next time, don't scare me like that, okay?" Edward smiled at her. He couldn't help it after the events that had just occurred. His birthday had been absolutely incredible.

The two continued to walk down the street, both towards their respective apartments. "Great!" Bella grinned with radiance, "But back to the matter at hand, how old did you turn today?"

It did not escape Edward's attention that Bella had not actually ever promised never to call him Eddie-boy again, but under the circumstances, he decided to let it go. "Thirty-three," Edward frowned, "I feel so old."

Confusion clouded Bella's face. "Really? I thought you were younger… you really looked younger when we met in…" Bella mumbled before trailing off and blushing.

"What were you going to say Bella?" Edward smiled at her in an attempt to convince her to tell him, "Does it have something to do with my age? … or yours? Wait how old are **you,** Miss Swan?"

"Twenty-three…" Bella mumbled, "…but that wasn't what I was saying…"

Edward felt his face cloud with confusion. "Then what Bella?"

After a brief pause Bella fled the situation. "Oh look, it's my apartment. Sorry Edward, but I've really got to go."

She left him standing alone on the street, wondering what could have caused it. Bella had fled only moments after she had learned of their age difference. Though ten years was really not such a large difference, it was not to be expected that a young woman would settle for someone who was at an age where he was more than ready to start a family. Bella was probably not ready for a serious relationship, and she didn't know how to break it to Edward that their kiss would never lead to anything. Edward sighed in recognition, and proceeded down the street to his apartment.

* * *

><p>Looks like our protagonists both think too much and make far too many assumptions about one another…<p>

I don't know how happy I am with my chapter in Eddie-boy's point of view… or with the kiss, so I'll probably return to Bella's point of view. I'm not sure, what did you think?

And finally, I am so sorry that it's been way over a week since my last update. I've just been really busy with summer school, and experiencing some writer's block. But I'm done with that now, so I'm going to try to update as much as possible in the next little while. I apologize for my shameless begging for reviews, but the more reviews I get, the faster my next update will be…


	7. Chapter 7

"Morning Eddie!" Alice grinned. It's a sad day when you allow your sister to call you the name you despise most in life because you don't care enough to stop her. "Ugg! You know that name really stops being fun when you don't complain." She pouted just as she always had as a young child. If he hadn't been so out of it, Edward would have chosen this moment to tease Alice about being his cute little baby sister. She had always hated being called cute or little and that conversation had been a running tradition for them.

"Yea, yea…" Edward waved her off with distraction. He had more important things to think about.

"Edward!" Alice exclaimed, "You need to snap out of it! What in the world has been bothering you in the last week? Ever since your birthday you haven't been able to focus on anything!"

"…It's nothing. I've been busy with work. Most of the new interns are just really difficult to deal with. They're high school kids! Mike keeps getting distracted and following Jessica around, Jessica is being mean to him and getting him to do things to embarrass himself, Lauren keeps throwing herself at me and can't take no for an answer, Jacob keeps making moves on m- Bella, and no matter how many times I tell him to focus on work, he doesn't. Bella refuses to talk to me and focuses on work, but she doesn't co-operate well, and she refuses to talk to me. She hasn't called me Edward in a week, she hasn't smiled or laughed at all in my presence, and no matter how hard I look for her, I can never find her anywhere outside of the office."

He blushed as he noticed Alice cocking an eyebrow at him. His excuse had quickly turned into a rant about Bella.

Edward sighed. He knew there was no point in arguing with Alice. There was no way he could convince her that he was just distracted because he was tired or busy. "It's because of… Bella." Edward mumbled, "I haven't been able to concentrate since Tuesday."

"No really? I never would have guessed." Alice's sarcasm was thickly painted on as she waited for an explanation from him.

~~Tuesday Morning~~

"_Good Morning Bella! Did you get upstairs okay last night?" Edward grinned, "I was pretty worried when you just ran off like that."_

_Bella wasn't too enthusiastic in her reply. "Oh… um yes Mr Cullen. But I think we should get back to work. Fraternization between interns and their superiors is strictly prohibited, so I think talking about our encounter last night is not a good idea right now."_

_Edward couldn't help but be confused out of his mind. Why was she so formal? And unwilling to talk to him? He thought they had had a good evening. He really believed that something had sparked between them. Maybe she really was bothered by their age difference?_

"_Mr Cullen? Are we going to begin working?" Bella's professionalism was driving Edward insane. Why was she ignoring the moment they had shared yesterday? She must really be opposed to anything more happening between the two of them._

_After a full week of the same treatment from Bella, Edward had given up. He couldn't think about anything besides what could be going on in Bella's mind. Since then, he had started doing everything to try and run into her outside of work times, but he never seemed to be able to. She was always avoiding him. Edward had been using the front entrance instead of the usual employee entrance he used, in hopes of running into Bella. He had visited the coffee shop every day, hoping that she would visit Esme. Edward had never had so much trouble trying to run into someone._

* * *

><p>"Oh my god Bella, you've met each other before? That is so romantic! You are like, the couple who is most destined to be together that I have ever seen! You have to talk to him and tell him about it! He is totally in love with you Bella; I can see it in his eyes every day when he walks into the office!"<p>

Bella looked at Alice with scepticism. Somehow she was having trouble believing the little pixie when she said that Edward had completely fallen for her. I mean, it was unbelievable… right? But maybe not. Maybe they really had a connection. "Look Alice, I'm just really afraid of him thinking that I'm completely insane. What if he thinks I'm a total stalker if I tell him that I met him seven years ago and still remember every detail about him? That's why I've been ignoring him, because I'm afraid that he'll ask questions about my slip-up on Monday night."

Alice's twinkling laugh filled the room. "Yea right. He's devastated without you. After that one day together he doesn't know what to do with himself without you around. And being as oblivious as he always is, Edward's unbelievably confused as to why you're ignoring him."

"So you think I should really tell him?"

* * *

><p>Sorry that chapter was so short, but the next one will be up really soon. :)<p>

Also, we're pretty much back to Bella's point of view now, because the last few chapters in Edward's point of view have been harder to write, and they haven't felt quite right.

Thanks to my reviewers from the last three chapters: kxkzkx, gabby871, booklover311, IThinkINeededThat, and UnseenAngel17.


	8. Chapter 8

Bella took a deep breath as she walked towards his office. She was going to do it. No matter what, everything would turn out fine. Even if he found her weird she would survive. She would never have to see him again after the six-month internship was up. She would either leave the company entirely, or if she got lucky, she would get a job with the firm, but she would be transferred to an entirely different division. She was just raising her hand to knock on the door, when she heard talking coming from inside. Bella didn't want to interrupt Edward if he was having an important conversation. She glanced through the large window beside the door.

"So relationships within the company aren't allowed between interns and their bosses? Then maybe we could… you know just keep **us** a secret Eddie-baby…" a cheesy voice sounded from within the office. Through the blinds, Bella could see Edward's back facing her as he sat in his chair. Lauren was standing next to him and running her hand up and down his arm. "Eddie, are you cheating on me behind my back? Is that why you don't want me anymore?"

"Lauren! We're not actually a coup-" Lauren shushed him, and put a finger across his mouth. She looked through the window and caught Bella's eye. Bella saw an evil glint there that made a shiver run down her spine.

"It's Isabella, isn't it honey?" Lauren's sickly-sweat voice laced with venom when she said "Bella" and made the hairs on the back of Bella's neck stand on end. Didn't Lauren know that Edward didn't like her? What was she trying to accomplish? Or did the two really have a secret relationship?

"…No Lauren, I'm not with Bella. She and I are just… friends. There's too big an age difference between us. We would never make a good couple. But that doesn't change-"

Bella had heard enough, and most definitely also seen enough as she saw Lauren plop down in Edwards lap after his admission. She turned and ran, but soon of course, found herself crashing into a woman walking in the other direction. She quickly helped her pick up the items that had fallen in the collision before making a hasty departure. Hopefully, Edward had not heard the crash. He couldn't know that she had seen him with Lauren.

_I'm not with Bella. She and I are just friends. There's too big an age difference between us. We would never make a good couple._

The words continued to echo in her mind as she flipped through the television channels. Seriously? How were there over a 1000 channels just filled with junk? Bella heard her phone ring, but she ignored it. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody right now.

_I'm not with Bella. She and I are just friends. There's too big an age difference between us. We would never make a good couple._

Eventually she settled on the movie "Music and Lyrics". She only caught the tail end of it, but she loved the story nonetheless.

Bella heard a knocking sound from the door. It was… the mailman? She opened the door to find a tall man in a hat in front of the door. He awkwardly handed her a letter, all the while hiding his face in the shadow of the baseball cap.

Bella placed the letter on her table and thanked the mail man, closing the door. She quickly opened the envelope, curious about what piece of mail could possibly have been so urgent that it needed to be delivered right to her door, at night.

_Dear Isabella Marie Swan,_

_We have recently become low on employees working in the translation departments. We have had to promote some workers, which has left some spots open for new employees to enter our family. On the suggestion of Mr. Edward Cullen, I am offering you a job as junior translator five months before the position was supposed to open up._

__Jasper Whitlock__

_The bottom of the letter had a little sticky note attached to it. Beautiful handwriting was stretched across it._

__Hi Bella,__

__I know you saw Lauren in my office today. But you have to believe me; nothing is going on between us. I know that you might not actually have any feelings for me, but I need to be sure. I need to know what you came to tell me today. If you are completely opposed to any relationship beyond what we have now, just ignore my note. Otherwise, step outside. I'll be waiting for you, and we can talk.__

__Edward__

__P.S. Lauren is no longer with Whitlock Translation. She was dismissed for inappropriate behaviour towards her superiors.__

_Bella was baffled. And here she thought that he had some relationship with Lauren. She needed to find out what was really going on, because his cryptic note left much information to be desired._

_Stepping outside, the only person Bella could see was the mail man, who was for some reason still hanging around… of course! That was why she was getting mail delivered to her door in the middle of the night; because the "mail man" was Edward. She walked over to him and pulled of his hat. "What's with the elaborate costume?"_

_"I needed a way to give you the choice to either talk to me or not, without you feeling pressured. And I guess I could also have just left a note for you without the costume… but I wanted to make a point. I have missed talking to you in the last week and I would do anything to get what we had on that first day back." Edward sheepishly smiled, "I want to understand. Did you run off that night because you thought that our age difference is too big? Or because we can't have a relationship so long as I'm your superior? I'm just so confused!"_

_Bella smiled at him in recognition. She as now suddenly much less confused. Edward though, on the other hand still looked completely baffled. "So we basically both made assumptions about one another's feelings. ...God, are we stupid. You thought that i believed our age difference was too big, and I was under the impression that you were going out with Lauren and that you would think i was crazy if you found out about-" Bella quickly caught herself before taking a deep breath and continuing, "...do you want to come inside? I have a ... story to tell you."_

_Hm, not sure how much I liked that... But thats pretty much the end, besides the epilogue which will be up as soon as I have an internet connection again! That will definitely be within a week. :)_

_I basically wrote the majority of this on my iPod on my plane ride to Europe... So please excuse any typos. Let me know if you find any though, so I can fix them when I get back._

_Don't forget to review! :) _


	9. Chapter 9

**Important author's note at the bottom!**

* * *

><p>"Seven years ago, sitting in a park in the middle of Toronto, I fell in love. I was an impressionable sixteen year old, and I fell in love..." Bella felt herself chicken out. She couldn't say that she had fallen in love with Edward. "...with languages... because of the man who I heard speak them. He had messy brown hair with bronze highlights, bright emerald-green eyes, and the most beautiful crooked smile."<p>

Bella looked pointedly at Edward. Did he understand what she was getting at? Unable to read his face, she then instead looked at her lap. That sounded so cheesy, so unrealistic. But it was true. That moment all those years ago had changed the entire path of her life. And she was glad for it, because even if Edward blew her off after he had heard her story, she was better off after having met him. Both times. She might not have told him the full truth, about exactly how strong an impression he had made on her, but she was proud of herself nonetheless.

"I think that man was you," Bella blushed. She didn't just think it was him, she knew it was. But she was just too afraid to tell him that.

Edward wrinkled his forehead in deep thought. "It's possible... I don't know, I guess I did spend a few weeks in Toronto every year or two to visit my great-grandma. I only moved here from Alaska about three years ago though."

"Well, either way, the reason I ran off was that I was afraid that you would think I was crazy for still remembering an encounter like that. I thought you would see me as a young, naive, little girl..." Bella trailed off as she felt the tears building in her eyes. She would not cry in front of Edward. She would not cry in front of Edward. He didn't remember her. It wasn't as though she expected him to remember, but somehow, it still stung a little that he didn't. Couldn't he have been a little more supportive? It was far too clear that he didn't believe at all that the two of them had actually met before.

"But Bella! How could I possibly think anything less of you than I already do? You are independent and mature, and I missed having you around so much! And to be honest, it's not naive of you to have begun to love languages because of a person you met. It's inspiring!" Edward looked off into the distance, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Though I don't know how likely it is that the man was me, I really wish it was. To have been the person to inspire you so strongly..."

Bella looked at Edward and smiled. He might not remember her, but that was after all to be expected. A girl changes a lot between age 16 and 23. At least he wished that he had been the one to inspire her. One day, one day soon, she would find a way to prove to Edward that it really had been him. And then, she would tell him. She would say that she had never been able to forget him and that he had stayed in her mind and dreams.

Edward grinned back at Bella. "So you don't care about our age difference or that I'm your superior? Or was your superior I guess if you take the job Jasper is offering you." As Bella smiled and shook her head, she could see Edwards face light up further.

"So we're okay again? How about we go out for coffee again on Monday at lunch? I'm sure Esme would be happy to see you again... And I'd be happy of course too..."

"Hey, Bella! I was so convinced that Edward scared you off last time and you didn't want to come back!" Esme exclaimed when the two entered on that sunny Monday. "I would love to give you a table, but there's nothing empty right now. You should have told me you were coming, then i would have reserved a seat for you! Darn, I wish-"

Edward chuckled at Esme before interrupting her, "Don't worry about it! We'll just get a coffee and sit in the park." He turned to face Bella. "Wait, is that okay with you? I know you're not too outdoorsy, but-"

Now it was Bella's turn to interrupt. "Of course it's fine. I love the sun." Bella grinned at him. Edward could be so sweet when he was afraid of doing something wrong. He smiled back at her, and Bella felt his eyes probing hers. He was really looking at her, really seeing her. She could feel herself getting lost in his eyes. They were just such a beautiful deep green...

"You two are just so cute together." Esme's laughter brought Bella out of her Edward-induced haze. "Are you sure you're not a couple? Because-"

"Esme!" Edward exclaimed. "I don't know what we are at this point... But I Bwill/B let you know when I do."

Out of the corner of her eye, Bella noticed Esme grin again when Edward smiled at Bella. After what felt like only a few seconds of looking into Edward's eyes, Esme brought the two of them their drinks and they left the cafe.

After stepping outside, Edward was quick to find and suggest a bench. As Bella sat down, she felt the sun come out from behind the clouds and she grinned. Closing her eyes and leaning back on the seat back of the bench she could feel the comforting warmth of the sun's rays on her face. This was the perfect, most relaxing way to spend her lun-

"Oh my god, Bella! Your hair! You're- You're- You look like-"

* * *

><p>Sorry, I know that was a mean ending... but I will definitely update again soon to make up for my slow updates lately.<p>

**Important part**** of the Author's Note**

Wow, I was really surprised by the positive response I got last chapter! Thank you so much to my reviewers, UnderlinedSmile, ImHereReading, booklover311, and teamEdwardxo. You've convinced me to think about keeping the story going for a little while longer... I've re-written and extended it a little already, but I could still write more about Edward and Bella after they get together... I wouldn't be able to update more than once a week though, because I'm on vacation and then back at school in September... If you think I should continue anyways, would you mind letting me know quickly in a review?

Thanks! :)


	10. Chapter 10

I typed up almost two chapters and now they're all gone because the USB they were on broke… wonderful…

Well, hope you enjoy my re-type! :)

* * *

><p>She looked so beautiful sitting there on the bench. Edward could count himself so lucky to have her in his circle of friends. He could only hope that things went well with the two of them. Her hair glinted in the sun as she leaned back on the bench with her eyes closed. Her soft smile made her face light up, and Edward smiled as well. But that hair... The peaceful smile and her beautiful hair as it glinted red in the sun were the absolute picture of beauty. It looked so familiar... Almost as though he had seen Bella before, almost as though she had been right, that they had met before...<p>

_~EB~_

"_Oh, I'm so sorry!" Edward exclaimed as he ran i__nto a young woman on the street. As she regained her balance after almost falling due to the collision, Edward couldn't help but stare at the beautiful locks falling down her shoulders. Her beautiful brown hair glinted red in the sunlight and contrasted beautifully to the small, barely visible white wings that adorned her back._

_Edward was on his way to visit his great-grandma in the hospital because she hadn't been doing well recently and he was very worried about her. She had been a big part of his life since his birth, and he couldn't imagine living in Toronto without her. On top of that, he still had to finish preparing an incredibly vital work presentation, so he didn't have nearly as much time to spend with her as he wished he did._

_He could al__ready feel his eyes tearing up again. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?" Somehow Edward felt himself drawn to the comforting stranger's smile. "Well, to be honest I'm having a bit of a bad day…"_

_~EB~  
><em>

"Oh my god, Bella! Your hair! You're- You're-" Edward stuttered in confusion. How could this be possible? He could remember that conversation with a young girl many years ago. Bella and her hair looked exactly like the angel… but somehow the pieces didn't fit together…

"You look like- like-" Edward couldn't bring himself to end the sentence, because that encounter hadn't actually been **real**. The girl had wings for goodness sake! It had simply been a dream like so many others he had had. How ridiculous! He had had the dream in frequent intervals over the last few years, always at a time when he needed it. Sometimes it occurred because he had a big interview coming up, was up for a promotion, or was going through more personal stress like the loss of his great-grandma or an upsetting break up.

Each time his dream girl managed to help him approach the situation at hand calmly, and he always woke up just a little more relaxed. But where had this girl come from? He knew he couldn't have fabricated such beauty from out of nowhere.

_"Seven years ago, sitting in a park in the middle of Toronto, I fell in love__… with languages ... because of a man who … had messy brown hair with bronze highlights, bright emerald-green eyes, and the most beautiful crooked smile."_

Maybe Bella hadn't been completely off when she said that they had met. An encounter in _a park in the middle of Toronto_? That was Bella?

"_Seven years ago, sitting in a park in the middle of Toronto, I fell in love… with languages…"_

It suddenly occurred to Edward that he had fallen in love that day too. Not with languages, but with Bella herself. He hadn't admitted it to himself until now because the girl in his memory had still been so young compared to his own age, but how else could this be explained? Why else would he have dreamed about her so often? He loved her. He loved Bella!

"You were right…" Edward looked over at Bella and grinned as he admitted it. Bella's face turned from confusion to a slight blush as she began to understand what he was saying.

"I remember now… but was that really me? Am I really the one who inspired your career choice?" Edward asked in astonishment.

Bella nodded and continued to blush. He beamed at her. "I can't believe I'm the one who motivated you to find something you're so perfect at. Wow, I mean, just… wow." Edward's grin refused to fade as the thought of something so amazing filled his mind and made his heart swell. It had been him who had led Bella to the beauty that was languages.

He stroked a hand across her cheek, and she smiled back at him. "How strange is that? I mean of all the nearly three million people who live in this city, which doesn't even include all the people who drive in here for work each morning, the two of us happened to meet by chance for the second time a couple weeks ago." Bella looked baffled and terribly happy as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

Edward looked down at her memorable flowing brown hair and smiled. "It must be fate…"

He laughed at his cheesy words and casually glanced at his watch. "Oh my god, Bella, we're going to be late! Lunch ended five minutes ago!"

Bella jumped up at Edward's exclamation. Throwing their empty coffee cups out on the way, the two ran hand in hand towards the _Whitlock Translation_ building. Bursting into the room upstairs the laughter that had been exploding from the two of them as they ran died in a single moment. They were met with a wide range of different looks from around the room.

* * *

><p>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS last chapter!<p>

_**cheermom13, lovingstories, UnderlinedSmile, booklover311, rachie.w, teamEdwardxo, armywife1979**__,_ and _**IThinkINeededThat**__,_ you've made chapter nine my most reviewed chapter ever posted on fanfiction!  
>You have no idea how much that means to me, so thank you.<p>

Comments? Suggestions? Corrections? Criticism? Compliments? Guesses for the future of the story? Review! :)


End file.
